Who are you as a person? What is your family all about? Your friends and neighbors? What is unique about your unfolding personal story?
We are all inescapably impacted by the times in which we live. Though we share many things human – in each century and decade, each geo-ethnic circumstance completely impacts how we perceive both ourselves and our Creator.
Samuel was born into a unique relational soup. He would be the final judge over Israel, and the one who anointed Israel’s first human king. It was tricky. It was imperfect. It was challenging on every level.
Judges 17.6
“In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.”
“Now Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. He used to go annually on circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places. Then his return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and there he judged Israel; and he built there an altar to the LORD.” – 1 Samuel 7:15-17
Samuel had to learn on his feet. His God perceptions – his personal identity – his place in the Story all were birthed in uncertain, impure, and broken times. Yet Samuel found his way. He learned to distinguish God’s voice, and became a unique God-warrior in his time – a listening servant of the Lord God.